Agronomic practices influencing sugarcane production in Webuye East Sub-County in Bungoma County, Kenya

Abstract

sugarcane production in Kenya has been on a decline over the last two decades leading to the need for importation of sugar to meet the country‟s increased demand. Webuye East Sub-County is one of the important sugarcane production areas in western Kenya, but has also witnessed reduced production in sugarcane. This decline has mainly been attributed to fragmentation of land due to rapidly increasing population. However, little focus has been made on establishing the effects of agronomic practices on sugarcane production in the Sub-county. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the major agronomic factors that influence sugarcane production in Webuye East Sub-county in Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were: To assess the influence of field crop production practices on sugarcane production; To examine the influence of special purpose plant improvement practices on sugarcane production; To determine the influence of soil management practices on sugarcane production; To determine how planting season and harvesting management influences sugarcane production in Webuye East Sub-county. Through this study, it is expected that sugarcane farmers will understand effects of agronomic practices and do away with inappropriate practices in their farm, the government will achieve its goal on better distribution of rural income, sugarcane stakeholders will initiate programmes and policies geared towards improving production of sugarcane and the study contributes important knowledge and facilitate learning on sugarcane farming sub sector. The study was anchored on Cobb Douglas (1928) production theory. Descriptive survey research design using mixed methods approach was used to elicit data from the study participants. A sample of 96 respondents based on Kothari‟s (2004) was systematically sampled from the target population of 6135 registered sugarcane farmers. In addition 10 farmers, 5 field officers and 8 weigh bridge workers of West Kenya Sugarcane Company in Webuye East Sub-County were purposively sampled as key informants. Questionnaires, interviews, observation and documentary analysis were the main data collection tools. Quantitative data were analyzed using percentages and frequencies and further subjected to inferential analysis using the Chi-square. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed. The study found out that a farmer could achieve on average, 23.1% more tonnage of sugarcane in an acre of land when important agronomic practices such as weeding, pest and disease control, ratooning, earthing up and raw spacing were practiced. By using the Chi-square (at 0.05 level of significance) the study established that there were a positive significant relationship between important agronomic practices and sugarcane production. It was concluded that agronomic practices significantly influenced cane production. This calls for efforts by all stakeholders to put in place intervention measures that can improve cane yield. Key among the measures includes; enhanced extension services such as information on technology of cane husbandry, harvesting technology and planting technology. This study further recommends that public meetings for sugarcane farmers be held regularly in every ward in the sub county to sensitize farmers on best sugarcane agronomy, loan services in form of materials be offered and farmers to be assisted in preparing land for planting to ensure deep tillage has been done